


Fables: Aspects of Trust

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Established Relationship, First Time, Futurefic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-10-25
Updated: 2002-10-25
Packaged: 2017-11-01 09:36:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/355061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The stuff of legends, as they say. May contain spoilers and such.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fables: Aspects of Trust

## Fables: Aspects of Trust

by cheddarandonion

<http://www.eccentrix.com/members/chedz>

* * *

**[ASPECTS OF TRUST]**

The hesitancy towards bestowing trust is a problem that naturally rose as a result of an interaction especially with someone foreign or in a hostile situation. It may also occur when such liaison caused old, somewhat distasteful memories to resurface. The lack of trust can be said to lead to certain problems while the opposite is also true. Exercising an amount of control is not something that can be achieved easily, especially when it involves the finer matters of the heart, or where something big is at stake: 

Lionel Luthor, millionaire of Metropolis, had one day found the need to banish his twenty-one year old son to a backwater farming community to manage one of LuthorCorp's establishments. 

Alexander 'Lex' Luthor, at the sight of fairly flat planes of Smallville, might have been sobered up by the intensity of what laid ahead and was then driven to prove to his father and the whole world what he could achieve once he set his mind into things. It was told that he poured his energy into reviving the once loss-making plant into a profitable and respectable one. His keen, sharp mind had served him well and successfully made a point to his father and his peers. 

Smallville is a curious little town that was plagued by a meteor shower some years back. This had caused a number of peculiar incidents to be reported around the area. Apparently these rocks caused some abnormalities in the physiology on some of Smallville residents. It was said that Lex was there in Smallville. He came out alive but in the process became prematurely bald and possessed little in terms of body hair. 

It was also in Smallville that Lex met and became friends with Clark Kent, son of farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent. A boy of unusual qualities and a reliable helping hand, he caught the fancy of an almost distraught Lex. Words had of their first meeting that Clark had rescued Lex from drowing due to a road accident on Loeb Bridge. Other accounts describing it was less an accident and more of attempted suicide. This has enabled them both to explore a relationship, despite their differences. They were friends first, weaving a kind of steadfast friendship and brotherhood. 

The Fates, however, spinning and pruning the threads of human destiny, found that these two individuals were not to be above adventures and such. Sir Walter Scott describes the Three Fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, thus: 

Twist ye, twine ye! even so  
Mingle shades of joy and woe  
Hope and fear and peace and strife,  
In the thread of human life. 

There would not be enough place to describe in detail all the adventures which marked their history-making; but we must not omit to record the day when Lionel Luthor found out about their liaison. It was one year since their first meeting on Loeb Bridge, and they have moved, albeit very slowly, to explore the finer aspects of their relationship, tentatively moving from friends to lovers. 

Lionel Luthor was not the first person to find out about this, but was the probably the one who behaved most unfavorably towards this association. His opposition was marked by him moving into the castle, in an attempt to curb Clark visiting his lover. When this did not succeed, he resorted to cruder persuasions, which in turn fell on deaf ears. Other men, like Jonathan Kent, would have given up, but Lionel Luthor, refusing to be relieved from his anger. One day he questioned Lex about Clark's loyalties, and tried to convince his son that no one slept with a Luthor with pure intentions. 

That sparked off a row, first between Lex and his father, and finally it spreaded to the peripheries. Although however much they tried to hold off the inevitable, there were lies it placed a strain in Clark's and Lex's relationship. A few months later Lex, together with his father returned to Metropolis. 

Having spent a lonely winter, Clark went to Metropolis, where he enrolled into the university and upon graduating was accepted as a journalist at the 'Daily Planet'. 

In the intervening years, Clark soon became a successful journalist, who together with his partner, Lois Lane, covered many of the high profile news of that time. During that period, Clark Kent kept close contact with his friends and aging parents from Smallville. At one point of time he even offered his parents to move into Metropolis, but was refused. Mr and Mrs Kent lived on the farm for the rest of their days. 

It was, however, in vain that Clark attempted to retrace his friendship with Lex, now the youngest billionair in the United States after he seized control of LuthorCorp, and more so following the death of Lionel Luthor. The mixture of indignant mistrust and general business made him unavailable. 

Trust is the acceptance without evidence or investigation, the blind trust, something Lex was loathe to do. The pursuit of wealth and power had occupied the forefront of his mind. These were the two that kept both men away from each other. 

At this point it became important to introduce the character of Superman. Clark, ridden by guilt and the apparent 'messiah-complex' Lex had chidded him about, had endeavored to style himself as a protector, of Metropolis first and the world second, as Batman was to serve Gotham City. The emergence of this superhero had inevitably straiend his relationship with Lex even more. It was not known whether Lex was aware of Clark as Superman, however. Fate drew them together in a complicated muddle as Lex attempted to conquer and Clark, as Superman, attempted to foil Lex's less subtle plans. 

Clark kept his dayjob a a reporter and continued to do so even after through some bizzare coincidence found himself sitting among board members of the Daily Planet as one of the bigger shareholders. There were many versions attributing to where Clark acquired enough money for this. One account points to the inheritance from his parents, or some rich distant aunt. Others still attributed it to a lottery win, an anonymous benefactor or a sudden windfall income from the purchase of one of his more controversial stories. 

Speculations aside, Clark then rose through the ranks as he learnt the ropes of newspaper management. The hectic schedule as Trustee forced him to resign as full-time journalist, although he continued writing as a freelancer. Lois Lane was then partnered with Jimmy. 

Superman continued to prowl the streets of Metropolis for a certain period of time before vanishing without a trace. An official source reported that Superman was killed by a large boulder which contained the rock kryptonite which proved to have an adverse effect on the man of steel. 

Lois, Clark and Jimmy wrote a feature-length article for the Daily Planet commemorating Superman's death. Lex Luthor, issued a press release expressing his condolences, though it was somewhat clear that this was out of good business etiquette. It was common knowledge that the two icons of Modern America were less than civil. Lex's possession of certain green rocks similar to the kryptonite hadd levelled him as a possible Superman-killer, although there was not enough evidence to justify this. 

In the mean time, Clark, much to the surprise and amazement of himself and his friends, Lex notwithstanding, took hold of the Daily Planet as CEO. One of his first moves was to arrange a merger with The Inquisitor who had been watching its readership numbers plummet. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed that autumn, and the merger was finalized the next summer. 

By the end of two full cycles of seasons the Inquisitor was fully incorporated into the Planet. This admirable work by Clark astonished even those who knew him most, and achieved for him a nationwide fame and recognition. On this occassion, Lex had sent him a note, scribbled with hurried handwriting and appeared entirely too formal. It almost discouraged Clark from renewing his efforts to rebuild friendship with his estranged froned. Clark sent a customary thank you card. 

A few years passed again as Lex continued on to be Governor and Clark busied by his Trust and office went their separate ways. it was also during that time which Clark wrote a document which was intended for Lex. The content of it remained mysterious to this day. 

By the time Lex ran for second term of US Presidency, succeeding by a large margin over his opponents, Clark had achieved a cult status within the journalism community. His success revived comparison with Lords Beaverbrook and Rothermere as well as Max Aitken of twentieth-century Britain. It was written of these historical press lords that they wield such power that even the most hardheaded politicians and public figures had avoided confrontation with them. These serves as a parameter by which both men, Clark and Lex were able to wield. 

It was during the Inaugural Ball where Clark approached Lex for the first time since Smallville. It was deemed a phenomena in itself that the two men, powerful in their own fields had not crossed path even once in the various invitations and functions they attended. From an account taken from one of the Secret Service agent, Clark approached the re-elected President and dropped a rather manila folder into the waiting hands. Clark then said, "Lex, will this win back your trust?" Clark left shortly after. 

The next day, a black Presidential car pulled in front Kent's Metropolis flat. The butler could have attested to the sounds emitting from Clark's personal study, but Paul was discreet. It was from that day on that both men revisited their friendship and it was a matter of time before the public learnt of the close camaraderie displayed by the two men. 

Lex back in the days of Smallville had once said to fifteen-year old Clark that their friendship would be a stuff of legends. This was further augmented by their high-profile marriage ceremony two months after Lex completed his Presidential services. The contents of the document presented to Clark was kept a secret. There were many speculations about the contents of the document, although all seemed to agree that at least a part of it was a lengthy confessional on Clark's part. 

Up to this day the story of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor continued to serve as an example of a lasting friendship. It had been treated as a myth or a legend or a moral story. As centuries passed the real story had blurred together with latter additions of accounts and variations to the theme, both verified and unverifiable. 

**-FIN-**

Note:  
1\. I was reading Bulfinch's "Myths and Fables" all day and all night long, making me want to try his style of narrative. Of course it is millenias away (or infinitely pathetic) compared to his writing of course. I didn't mean this to be an insult to him. _grin_ 2\. Also contains stuff that can be referred back to "Oxford Concise Dictionary" and Green's "Children of the Sun". 3\. So, yes finally! _grin_ I had this weird dream weeks back, finally I can put it to words _grin_


End file.
